Process of making moving-picture films.



R. v. STAMBAUGH.

PROCESS OF MAKING MOVING PICTURE FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1916.

1,226, 1 35. Patented May 15, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

R. V. STAM BAUGH.

PROCESS OF MAKING MOVING PICTURE FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 1916.

' 1,226,135. Patent-ed May15,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

REGINALD V. STAMBAUGH, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO ARTFILMTSTUDIOS, OF

CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

PROCESS OIE MAKING MOVING-PICTURE FILMS.-

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, REGINALD V. STAM- BATJGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Process of Making Moving-Picture-Films, of which the following is a specification.

Moving pictures are now coming into use extensively for advertising, and the most many of the defects complained of in previous films.

To properly understand the invention it is necessary to briefly describe previous films and methods.

here a special advertising film is wanted by a certain advertiser for his sole use, the action or picture part of the production may be drawn and set up on the stage for pho-' tographing according to any of the suitable methods of producing animated cartoons, the suitable advertising text being set up on the stage or field simultaneously with the drawings and changed from time to time in accordance with the progress of the action. The action and text are thus photographed simultaneously and a completed special film may thus be produced which has almost any desired qualities and is open to no objection except that of cost. The cost is evidently about the maximum and such films can only be produced where unusual advertising expense is justified by conditions. v

Evidently such films can be used for only one advertiser because the text is an integral part of the film and cannot be changed to suit another advertiser.

The set of drawings constituting the action of an animated cartoon suitable to a certain business may, of course, be preserved and rephotographed in connection with a diiferent text for another advertiser. The cost of new drawings is saved but a complete new negative and positive film' must be produced and the cost is still great. The drawings deteriorate and there are Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 26, 1916. Serial No. 100,036.

Patented May .15, 1917.

- and this text may be changed to suit different advertisers, but such a film does not comply with recognized principles of advertising and there is very little demand for it.

Naturally a demand has grown up for a high class syndicate cartoon; that is, one

having a plot or action suitable to a certainbusiness with which may be incorporated advertising text suitable for different indiv1dual advertisers in that line of business, the text to appear on the theater screen s multaneously with the action. multaneous exhibition of pictures and text is an approved advertising method and various methods have been devised for producing these syndicate films.

According to one method the drawings are made in black on a white background and are set up on the stage or field so as to occupy, say, half of it, saving the tion of the filed as a space in which the advertising text will appear in the completed positive film. The photographing of the successive pictu'resproduces a strip of negative film of the action in which the pictures are contained in substantially one longitudinal half of the film, the pictures appearing in white or light lines or surfaces and. the background of the pictures being black, the opposite half of the negative reserved for text being entirely black. The text is then set up on the reserved portion of the field in black letters on a white ground and photographed, producing a strip of negative text in which one longitudinal half of the film contains white letters on a black ground and the other half of the film is entirely black. The raw positive .film is then run through a printing machine with one of the negative strips, securing a print of the corresponding part of the completed subjectmatter in black on a white ground. The positive film is then run through the printing machine again with the other negative, printing the other half of the positive film. Upon development, the positive film shows the action and text in parallel strips in black or dark lines or surfaces on awhite ground.

any text and a strip' This si-.

Some ofthe objections to this method are the amount ofwork in handling required; the difficulty of registering the different films properly; the waste of a completed negative strip (evidently the negative film carrying the text cannot be used again for another advertiser).

An improvement on this consists in making a negative of the action, leaving a part of the field for the advertisement, this negative being taken from black or shaded lines or surfaces on a white background. The

advertising matter is then laid out in negaof throwing white light upon the positive film. Therest of the film is unexposed because of the black field. This partly exposed positive film is then run through a printing machine with the negative film and printing is thus completed, and when developed the positive film shows action and text in black or shaded lines and surfaces on a white ground. A'film, in other words,

produced by this method is practically the same as by the previous method but there is a considerable saving in film and time. The

principal disadvantage of the last mentioned processes and films produced by them, is that the white background has been found to be very objectionable. It'contrasts unfavorably with the usual background of mo tion picture plays; it produces a high light which is out of place in a moving picture theater;'it shows prominently any defects in thescreen, or in the original manufacture of the film and the scratches which soon appear in the use ofthe film. The above de' scribed method does not produce the best advertising films because whitevtext on a black background is found to have the greatest carrying power and legibility, and this important feature is lacking in the method just described.

Efforts have been made to embody the advantages of the previous methods, that is, changeable texts for a standard action, or a true .syndicate production of film, in a positive which shall have a black ground and light subjectmatter. Great difiiculty has been experienced in accomplishing this result, due to the fact that negatives made to print a black background on the positive film will fully expose or burnup any exposed parts of the positive film. This difli cultygreatly complicates the problem and no fully successful solution of, it has been made up to the present time. The most successful method developed to produce the de sired result (except of course the specially made expensive films firstabove mentioned) is the following:

To make the negative of the action, the photographing field is black and a white panel or shield is placed over that part of it which is desired to be used for advertising text. The drawings of the action in white or light surfaces are then placed on the remaining part ofthe field and the action negative is photographed from the successive set-ups, producing on the negative when developed'a white background with a solid black space representing the shield and with dark or black pictures. The stage is then arranged for photographing the text. The background remains black and a shield corresponding substantially to the shield-used for the negative is placed on the black field, but this shield should beconsiderably larger all around than the negative shield to insure an overlap and avoid white spaces adjacent to the text. The lettering is then placed upon this shield in black and in re, versed position. Thesuccessive set-ups of lettering are then photographed upon the positive film-in a moving picture camera. In this exposure light rays proceed in considerable amount only from the white portions of the shield surrounding the lettering thereon, and to describe it in one way there is simply the impression on the otherwise clear positive film of a black shield within which are white spaces corresponding to the letters. The previously prepared negative film is then reversed and placed against the partly exposed positive, and the two are then run through a printing machine. In this printing the black shield carried by the negative overlies the shield already printed on the positive and protects the white 'spaceslettersfrom being exposed or obliterated. On the remainder of the positive film the light passes through the clear background of the negative and imprints a black background on the positive, leaving the drawings in white or light lines or surfaces .is also practically impossible to avoid differences in the width of the dark frame at different points around the text. The frame is always an objectionable feature, and especially so when it is not of uniform width. Parts 'of the letters will also often be obliterated by the action. running through its channel ina camera or printing machine has a tendency to move laterally within thechannel limits. By the lastdescribed method and some of, the other methods, these film movements in the positive and negative film vary and the varia- -.tion is-exaggerated by the reversal of the negative in printing, and there usually appears on the-positive film.when it is pro- Jected on the screen a relative'wabbling or side movement of the action and text which is very objectionable. It is also usually found to be impossible to make the background of the text and of the action of the same degree of=darkness'. Other defects in the films produced by this process are complained of by the makers and users.

By experimentation and discovery I have 'devised a-method of making syndicate films which obviates the use of shields and elimin-ates one complete step in theprocesses previously described and produces a positive film having a uniform dark background and light or white text and action and with practically' none of the defects complained of in films produced by the previously describedvprocesses. In addition to the production of technically correct films the process isquic'ker and cheaper than any of the previous processesknown to me for producing syndicate moving picture films.

In carrying out my process, to make the negativeifilm of the action, I arrange the stage or field with a black background and light or white drawings and no shield to provide .fortext on the positive film. The successive action set-ups are photographed upon the positive film in any suitable moving picture camera and when this film is 4 developed it 'showsa white field with black or dark surfaces or lines thereon depicting the action. A space is of course left on the field in Which the text. will appear in a completed positive, but no framing or shield is required for this space.

For the text the photographing field is white. The lettering'is placed thereon in black in reversed position. This may be accomplished in any suitable way.

A moving picture camera is provided hav- This is-done'by providing two reels in ad- \mg any suitable intermittent mechanism,

but with provision forrunning two films through this mechanism at the same time.

dition to the two ordinarily used in the camera, these two additional reels being to hold and rewind, respectively, oneof the two films that are to be placed in the machine. There are also suitable guides tobring the extra film into contact with the other one as it passes through the film channel at the rear of the lens. A raw positive film is placed upon one of the reels and the The film strip in' completed negative previously described is placed upon another reel and the two films are threaded through the machine, emulsion sides together, and with the negative film nearest to the lens. The perforations in the.

two films are engaged simultaneously by the teeth of the feed gears and the films are thus positively maintained in proper relative position. It is not necessary to take any pains to register the two film's because, evidently,

the positive film .has not been exposed and 'it is only'necessary to bring the films to such position that the first negative picture that is to have a text incorporated with it on the positive, is in position behind the lens. This text being set up on the stage, the operating mechanism of the camera is actuated one or more times and the rays of light from the field pass through the camera lens and through the clear part of the negative film reserved for text and photograph the-white field and black lettering upon the positive film. This part when developed will, of course, show white letters upon a black background. At the same time the intense light passing through the lens from the white field penetrates all the other parts of the negative and prints the dark parts of the negative on the positive film, which,

when developed, will, of course, show the lines or surfaces of the action in white or light shading upon a black ground.

There is thus produced in one operation a photographing of the text and printing of the negative upon the positive film and this is done without particular attention to registry of films; without the use of shields; the black background produced on the positive is uniform throughout because it is produced at a slngle'exposure and the light proceeds with the text. In carrying out this part of my invention I make a paper negative print of the desired cut, drawing or typewritten matter, or whatever suitable copy may be desired to be reproduced, and place this negative print on a suitable part of the photographing field at the same time that text matter is being photographed. Allowance of space for this added text matter will, of course, have to be made in preparing the negative film. Previous processes, so

tory means for placing this additional mattoons.

ter upon the positive film.

In addition to the other advantages mentioned, my process does away with the necessity of providing a printing machine and paying an attendant for it. All of the de fects in the positive film, due to side motion, are eliminated, because during its only exposure to light the positive film is in immediate contact with the negative and the two partake simultaneously of any side motion that there may be, preventing any appearance of relative movement of the action and text when the picture is projected upon the screen. It avoids the difficulty experienced in other processes with jumps in printing. This would ordinarily spoil the film, but in my process if oneor two exposuresare missed there is no serious harm because the films are still in proper registry and a short piece can be cut out of the completed positive film and the film repatched so it is practically as good as any. But, in addition to this advantage, in my process there is much less risk of jumps than is ordinarily the case.

I will now describe the accompanying drawing which shows certain apparatus which may conveniently be used, and in a diagrammatic way sho'w certain steps of the process and the completed film.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a moving picture camera arranged over a suitable table or stage, and the stage is in turn arranged for the photographing of the text.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal-section of a suitable moving picture camera provided with extra spools for positive films.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View exemplifying the printing of the negative upon the positive filmand the simultaneous photographing of the text.

Fig. 4 shows a short section of negative film, and

Fig. 5 shows a short section of the completed print or positive film.

The arrangement of the stage for the operation of making the negative is not shown in the drawing because the negative may be produced by any of the wellknown methods of producing negatives of animated car- But a short piece of negative is shown in Fig. 4, in which 1 is the negative film with white background 2 and black or dark lines or surfaces 3 forming the picture. A space 4 is preserved in the" background for text and this space is characterized by the absence of any frame, panel or the like.

Fig. 2 shows a camera suitable for the process, comprising the usual lens. 5', film channel 6, intermittent driving mechanism 7, receiving spool 8, which in this case is to be used for the negative film, rewinding spool 9 for the negative and the added receiving spool 10 for raw positive film 11 and A very elementary form of mechanism, if in fact any special mechanism is essential to the process, may be used, as indicated in Fig.

3, in which a spur pinion 14 is shown engaging simultaneously the perforations of the two films to keep them in proper relation, with a hand wheel 15 to rotate the spur, and the positive and negative films 1 and 11 are shown passing at the rear of the ordinary lens 5 which is directed at thestage 20. t

Fig. 1 shows the stage arranged for photographing the text and at the same time printing the negative, and an arrangement of stage for this purpose" in more elementary form is shown also in Fig. 3. In Fig. '1 the lettering 21 has been placed in reversed position. There is also placed on the field a negative print 24, called an insert. The camera handle is moved, or other operating mechanism is acted upon sufficiently to make one or more'exposures and the text shown is photographed upon a part of the print and at the same time the negative view at that moment in front of the positive film is rinted thereon. At the appropriate time in the action, the lettering 21 is changed and the print 24 is removed or another one substituted; other exposures are made, and so on.

Fig. 5 shows a completed and developed positive print made by combining the view shown in the negative (Fig. 4) in three of its different positions with the lettering shown in Fig. 1 (the negative print 24 of Fig. 1 being however omitted). The print has a black background, white or light pictures constituting the action and white letters. There is no framing, and when the print is projected on a screen there will be no relative side movement between the letters and the action. The background is of uniform darkness. In fact, the technique of the picture is equal to that of the most expensive and perfect animated cartoons that can be produced by any method known to me.

For convenient identification, the picture part of the completed print'may be referred to as the action and the lettering may be referred to as the text, and when letter or text is mentioned without qualifications, it should better be understood to include inserts such as the prints or cuts 24 which. may be associated with-the lettering in the general step of photographing the lettering, as explained in connection with Fig." 1.

I claim 1.- The method of making a photographic print, consisting in photographing upon the print surface through a lens and simultanefilm and simultaneously photographing a view and printing from said negative upon said positive film.

4. Theprocess of making moving picture films, consisting in making a strip of negative film, superposing it upon raw positive film behind a lens directed at photographable subjectmatter, and thus simultaneously photographing and printing upon the positive film to make a complete positive view.

5. The process of making moving picture films, consisting in making a strip of negative film of a field having a dark background and lighter subjectmatter thereon, superposing the negative upon a raw positive. film in a moving picture camera, arranging dark images (text) upon a white field before the camera, and making exposures, thus simultaneously photographing said black images upon the positive film and printing on said film through said negative.

6. The process of making moving picture films, consisting in photographing a strip of negative film from a field having a dark background and lighter subjectmatter thereon, placing the developed negative between a raw positive film and a lens, arranging a photographing field with a light background and reversed darker text thereon, and exposing this field through the lens thus photographing the text'upon the positive film through clear spaces in the'negative and simultaneously printing the action shown on the negative upon the positive print.

7. The process of making moving picture films, consisting in photographing a strip of negative film from a field having a black background and lighter subjectmatter thereon, placing the developed negative between a raw positive film and a lens, arranging a photographing field with a white back ground and reversed darker text thereon, and exposing this field through the lens thus photographing the text upon the positive film through clear spaces in the negative and simultaneously printing the action shown on the negative upon the positive print, advancing the two strips of film without relative movement and changing the set-up of the text in accordance with progress of the action on the negative.

8. The process of making moving picture films, consisting in photographing a strip of negative film from a field having a black background and lighter subjectmatter thereon, placing the developed negativebetween a raw positive film and a lens, arranging a photographing field with a white back- 4 positive film through clear spaces in the negative and simultaneously printing the action shown on the negative upon the positive print. a

9. The process of making moving picture films, consisting in photographing a strip of negative film from a field having a black background and lighter subjectmatter thereon, placing the developednegative between a raw positive film and a lens, arranging a. photographing field with "a white background and a negative print of an insert thereon and exposing this field through the lens thus photographing the text upon the positive film through clear spaces in the negative and simultaneously printing the action shown on the negative upon the positive print, advancing the two strips of film without relative movement and changing the setup of the text in accordance with progress of the action on the negative.

10. The process of making picture films, consisting in photographing a strip ofnegative film from a field having a black background and lighter subjectmatter thereon, placing the developed negative between a raw positive film and a' lens, arranging a photographing field with awhite background,

strip of negative film from a field having a black background and lighter subjectmatter thereon, placing the developed negative be tween a raw positive film and a lens, arranging a photographing field with a white background, reversed-darker text and a negative print of an insert thereon, and exposing this field'through the lens thus photo-' graphing the text upon the positive film through clear spaces in the negative and simultaneously printing the action shown on the negative upon the positive print, advancing the two strips of film without relative movement and changing the set-up of the text in accordance with progress of the action on the negative.

12. The process of making moving picture films, consisting in preparing a strip of negative film of a moving subject, placing this negative over a strip of print film, photographing other subjectmatter upon the print film through the negative and also exlight transmitted through the negative, and

advancing the two films step by step for successive exposures.

ll. The process of making moving picture films, consisting in making a strip of negative film from moving subjectmatter,

the negative film so prepared includingv White or light areas produced by black or dark backgrounds introduced into said subjectmatter, superposing this negative upon a strip of print film, printing successive sections of the negative subjectmatter upon the print film by passing light through the negative, and photographing additional subjectmatter upon the .print film through at least some of the light areas of the negative.

15. The process of producing moving picture films, consisting in photographing a strip of negative film, of an action Which ineludes in a number of successive film sections substantially similar light or White areas produced by black or dark backgroundsin the action, placing this negative against a raw print film and advancing the tWo films together past a light opening, arranging photographable text, and photographing this-text upon the print film through at least a part of the light of White areas of the negative While at the same time exposing the print to the printing action of light received through the negative.

16'. The process of producing moving picture films, consisting in photographing a strip of negative film, of an action which includes in a number of successive film sections substantially similar light or White tive While at the same time exposing the print to the printing action of light received through the negative.

REGINALD V. STAMBAUGH. 

